TWITTER: FG ban order counter productive says NGO

A non-govermental group, FACE OF WAZIRI-NIGERIA has urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to rescind its ban order on Twitter operations in the country,citing the particular social media handle as a socio-economic developmental tool that should not be sacrificed on flimsy basis.

The Director General Mr. Bukola Adeojo in a statement made available to newsmen, having appreciated the plausibility of tweeter being used for disseminating divisive contents, notes that the positive impact of the social media handle far outweighs its negatives.

According to him, the current administration were direct beneficiaries of the various social media handles available, coupled with the legitimate economic gains it has availed the ingenious and creative young minds across the country.

“Social Media Platforms like the Twitter have become a veritable tools to Governance Knowledge sharing, political awareness and socio-economic advancement in contemporary global communities.

“All elections and candidate since 1999 have benefited profundly by deploying these tools . The current administration is one of the best benefactors of the social media in the country.

“More – importantly , with the economic hardships in the country as a result of Covid – 19 pandemic which has caused global recession, Twitter and other social media are major if not sole means of income for millions of Nigerians .

“If the concern is indeed the divisive campaigns by some trends in social media handles, we caution that we cannot throw away the baby with bath water as one bad apple don’t Spoil the bunch .

The group maintained that aside the harsh stance of government on a veritable platform like tweeter, there many avenues less cumbersome that could be explored to tackle the spread of divisive tendencies amongst Nigerians.

“We recall that at a point in this country , when Niger-Delta agitations peaked , constructive dialogue produced the Amnesty Package which doused the tensions.

“The current plagues of Boko-Haram terror , armed herdsmen Carnage ,divisive campaigns by self determination groups for restructuring can be amicably resolved like brothers and sisters on round- table.

“We therefore call on the Federal Government to rethink and reflect its order because of the importance of Twitter and other social media platforms as crucial developmental tools .

” More importantly millions of un-employment person and youths are earning legitimate incomes through these social media it has more than twenty percent market share in the country. The political concerns on the unity of the country can be resolved through other means.”

The statement reads further, “The face of Waziri, Nigeria , without mincing words and in absolute terms join the rest of the global communication village to observe that the Federal Government of Nigeria , through its Minister of Information and culture , Alhaji Lai Muhammed and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) urgently need to reconsider its order banning the operations of Twitter in the country .

We salute the courage and add our voice to those of global communities, national civil society groups and Honourable members of the people’s Democratic Party in the House of Representatives who have un- equivocally called for the reverse of this conscription of universally established rights to “receive, store and disseminate information” .